Happy Furrowed Middlebrow Friday! 🤩
SPOILER: I've found a NEW 5🌟 D.E. Stevenson favorite book! 🥳💜
Until now, my top 5 DES titles have been:
- The English Air
- Rochester's Wife
- The Fair Miss Fortune
- Charlotte Fairlie
- Katherine Wentworth duology
To be honest, I usually don't enjoy books from a male perspective (with the exception of Agatha Christie mysteries) because I feel like I just can't fully relate. So, when I read the synopsis of Five Windows, I was a bit unenthusiastic.
But, I was absolutely wrong!
DES completely blew me away with this novel and I utterly LOVED it. It's the first book in a long, long time that has made me want to start the story over from the very beginning as soon as I finished reading it. There are very few books that have had this effect on me.
It's funny because I felt almost the exact same way before reading Smouldering Fire. Even though I didn't love that title as much as this one, I still REALLY enjoyed it—and that was mostly from a male perspective, too! Wow!
I felt the opposite about two other male-centric titles—The House of the Deer (UGH...the descriptions of killing deer was so horrible! I could hardly finish it.) and, to a much lesser extent, Peter West. I liked the latter novel, but it's still pretty low on my list.
From here on I'm going to share general "Cliffs Notes" and a few of my thoughts from each of the "five windows" in David's life. So, if you haven't read the book, PLEASE STOP NOW. (It's the perfect time to read it, though, and come back! 😂)
But, if you loved this story and want to relive it in a quick (and slightly superficial) way, keep reading!
1st WINDOW: (Childhood in Haines)
"My window looked out over the garden to the bridge and the hills. In summer this view was hidden by a glorious old chestnut-tree which had grown as high as the house. I loved this tree at all seasons of the year: in spring there were the candles to watch and I saw the pink flowers unfolding: the leaves were fresh and green, they waved with the wind or hung quietly drinking in the golden sunshine. The tree was full of birds chirping and building their nests—they would fly to my window for crumbs to feed their nestlings. In winter when the leaves had fallen my view of the world was enlarged and through the delicate tracery of twig and branch I could see the countryside: the bridge, the woods and the hills."
- The story starts with young David Kirke on his 9th birthday.
- He is the son of a vicar and lovely mother, Mary
- They live in the village of Haines in Glasgow, Scotland.
- David's first friend is Malcolm. He is the shepherd for the Lorimer’s farm, Nethercleugh, with his dog, Bess.
- David's other childhood friend is Freda Lorimer.
- The Lorimer Family (with horrible, derisive and controlling father) have three daughters (Freda and Elise & Janet are twins). The family is always arguing. Janet is spirited and sensitive while Elise is fearful, weak, lazy and jealous.
- Mr. Semple is David’s grade school teacher and is only slightly helpful with his education.
- Dochie works for Mr. Gregg as a garage assistant. He doesn’t say much and, if given money, he will drink it all away. But, he is a wizard at knowing all things about cars and fixing them. David learns a little from Dochie and also likes to have him as a friend.
- Malcolm helps David to make a wooden box for his mother for a Christmas gift. It’s hand carved, dove tailed and incredibly lovely.
- Malcolm gives David a lovely locket with a picture of his love in it and also pearls that he picked himself. He asks David to keep it safe for him during the war and will tell him the story when he gets back.
- When Malcolm dies in the war, David writes a beautiful book all about him. His mother loves it and places it (and all of David’s writing and drawings) into the handmade box.
- Mother Mary encourages David’s writing.
- Mary likes Janet (the “troublesome” child) and they both love to arrange and pick flowers together.
- The vicar’s brother, Matthew, comes to stay and offers David a life with him in Edinburgh. His parents don’t want that, but eventually see the reasons why they should say yes.
- Matthew and his brother have not always got along and do not see eye to eye on things. But, David likes him and wants to give it a try.
2nd WINDOW: (Edinburgh with Uncle Matt)
"My window looked out on to a chequer-board of gardens, each separated from its neighbor by a solid stone wall covered with ivy. The gardens were rectangular and very small indeed: some of them were unkempt and tawdry: some had stanchions fixed to the walls and the family washing fluttered upon ropes: a few were carefully tended patches with chrysanthemums or dahlias or little rockeries planted with varigated heaths...Beyond the gardens was a somewhat grim row of tall grey houses—the backs of the houses of which the next crescent was composed."
- David enjoys living with Uncle Matt, but also discovers his rages and bouts of anger. He learns to stay away from his uncle when this happens.
- He occasionally visits lonely and eccentric Aunt Etta and has tea with homemade doughnuts from a shop around the corner.
- David likes his days at school and makes a new friend, Cliffe (who tells very exaggerated stories…but in an entertaining way) and whose father is an ironmonger. David likes Cliffe’s family very much.
- He occasionally sees Freda while she is at university.
- David’s friend, Miles, comes up with a plan that they should both go to London to work and be roommates together. Uncle Matt has a hard time getting used to the idea, but finally decides that he likes it and finds him a job at a law firm, Heatly and Frensham.
- Miles backs out at the last minute and David, though angry and slightly apprehensive, decides to go anyway.
3rd WINDOW: (Life in London at Boarding House)
"My window looked out on to a blank wall. The wall towered up some thirty feet from my window: it was of dingy brick and there was no break in it except for an iron ventilator. Once upon a time the wall had been painted white—presumably to lighten my room—but the paint had nearly all flaked off and what was left was streaky and discoloured with London soot. Even on the sunniest day my room was dim: even on the breeziest day my room was airless."
- Mrs. Hall’s boarding house turns out to be dirty and unpleasant. 6 other residents live there and they all have horrible personalities, including Mrs. Hall. The room is bleak, he has to share one bathroom with the entire house, everyone complains and the food is scant and disgusting.
- Residents: Owen (Welsh, black hair), Bulwen (fair/grayish hair), Kensey (fat, bald), Ned Montram (complains constantly, car salesman, always guilts to get money, talks and talks but is not a friend to listen, weak), Madam Futrelle (French, modiste, always says that things are better in France), and Beryl Collingham (very pretty, want to be actress, curls, is used to being pampered and getting her own way, a tart)
- David’s manager at the law office is Mr. Penman. He is a decent man, but not very understanding. Heatly is the CEO of the law firm and is more sympathetic (but also distant at first.)
- At this point in his life, David is sad, lonely, angry and feels he does not have any true friends.
- I felt frustrated with David for always giving in to Ned (and sometimes Beryl) when they need money. Ugh!!
- David comes across a book shop one day near Covent Garden and sees a “for let” sign set out by the owner, Mr. John Coe. They strike up a friendship and help each other on a daily basis. The apartment David is renting on the top attic floor has an interesting view, is clean and quiet, but there is no elevator and he doesn't have his own bathroom.
- He loves his new place and does his best to not come in contact with anyone from the boarding house, especially after Mrs. Hall demanded extra money that he did not have (and she was not entitled to!)
4th WINDOW: (New Outlook on Life in New Apartment and an Important Book)
"My window looked out on to roofs of all shapes and sizes sloping in all directions: upon jutting gables and hundreds of chimney-pots. The whole aspect was topsy-turvy, it was a choppy sea of roofs. The gables cut sharply across the night sky: in the bright moonlight their slates shone like silver and their shadows were black as pitch. It was a curious outlook, quite different from any of my other windows, and strictly speaking it was ugly...but it was ugly in an interesting way. There was history here: not the sort of history which finds its way into books but the history of ordinary people."
- David meets Teddy in the outdoor market while Mr. Coe is on his vacation. She is a kind friend and is engaged to Paul Deering.
- David’s mother, Mary, comes to stay and see what’s happened with David. It’s a wonderful visit and she helps to cozy up the apartment and takes a liking to Mr. Coe.
- Finally David’s jealous coworkers start to thaw towards him and they go out to “The Kim” occasionally.
- He spends time writing about his experiences in London and, after reading it, Teddy decides it should be titled, “The Inward Eye”. David sends it in to many UK publishing companies and no one likes or wants it. Finally, a US publisher, Basil Barnes, loves it and wants him to sign a contract. He receives 50 pounds on the spot and buys his parents an anniversary present.
- With Mr. Heatly’s help and guidance, he gets a literary agent named Tom Randall.
- David visits his parents and shows them his book. They are stunned, but happy.
- He renews his friendship with Freda, but she is not as great as he remembers. She always wants to have her own way, which he never realized before. He is drawn to Janet, but is having a hard time finding her to talk to and to help her.
- David receives a 500 pound check for the gorgeous hardcover with dust jacket (his own illustration!) book and a 6 month leave for his book from work to figure out what to do.
- He is left Green Beech Cottage by Aunt Etta and he needs to decide what to do with it. Jan and her friends (Barbie is practical and caring and Nell is a wonderful cook) help with the scheduling a consult and the fixing up of the cottage.
- Miles comes to store to see David. He decides he’s also going to write a novel (a thriller) and makes David read it. It’s horrible and boring. David sends an honest but light letter to Miles and then sends the book to his literary agent to get his opinion. The agent agrees that it's trash.
"The window was dirty and we could not see through it, so I opened it from the bottom and we looked out...Now that the trees had been felled we could see for miles: we could see meadows and fields: we could see hedges with the green tint of spring upon them. In the distance, veiled in a tender haze, we could see the clustering of roofs of London. The sun was declining in the west and its rosy beams irradiated the mist so that the big sprawling city looked like a city in a dream, a city of enchantment."
- Jan and David go to the Green Beech Cottage to fix it up.
- While clearing up the cottage and looking at the view (and of Janet with her halo of slightly messy hair near the lilacs), David finally realizes that he loves her.
- David brings Jan a HUGE bouquet of flowers to her apartment and tries to tell her that he loves her. But, there is something not quite right in her face and he can’t understand it. He feels instantly afraid.
- The UK has finally agreed to publish Golden Pavements and the The Inward Eye, but David only feels like he can concentrate on Janet. Even the cottage renovations are less important to him now.
- Barbie comes over to tell David to be firm and “caveman-like” so that Jan doesn’t go home and get stuck there doing everything that her family wants (and also losing any chance of happiness.)
- David “captures” Jan when she comes to the cottage and demands that she marry him (in the nicest and most sensible way), gives her a ring and tells her that they are going to get married immediately.
Such a lovely ending! It wasn't exactly what I imagined, but it was very satisfying overall and I'm so, so happy that Jan didn't end up going back home. I felt like the Lorimer family would finally realize how much they lost and didn't appreciate about lovely Janet!
I'll repeat it again (just because it's fun!)...I LOVED THIS BOOK! 😍❤️
It's not only the story itself (which is so extremely touching, quaint and moving), but also D.E. Stevenson's engaging writing style and the way she set up the phases of David's life. I wish I could be more coherent, but it's all the feelings of my heart that make me adore Five Windows (and less my intellectual self).
I'm so grateful to Niki, Sabine and Victoria at Dean Street Press for co-hosting our #BuncleAndBeyond readalong on Instagram for the past three months. I'm very excited to June, July and August, too! We'll be reading The Tall Stranger, Bel Lamington and Fletcher's End. Woo-hoo! I hope you'll join in with the rest of us DESsies!
If you haven't listened to the Tea or Books? Podcast Episode #102 with Simon and Rachel where they compare Four Gardens by Margery Sharp and Five Windows by D.E. Stevenson, you must! It's sooo good!
Also, if you love D.E. Stevenson's novels as much as I do, please consider purchasing e-books or paperback copies (or both!) from Dean Street Press Ltd. They do such an amazing job from beginning to end and I want this fantastic republishing company to thrive and grow!
P.S. I'm anxiously waiting for a vintage 1953 Rinehart & Co. hardcover edition of Five Windows to arrive. When it does, I'll make sure to share it. It's not in the best condition, but it's lovely!
Let me know in the comments if you've read this D.E. Stevenson novel and what your favorite title is by this wonderful author!
Much love and many springtime hugs!
Gina 💕🌸🤗🌸💕
